Warriors stars Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Tohu Harris are right in Dally M Medal contention at the halfway mark of NRL premiership, with both players inside the top 15 as voting now goes behind closed doors.
Captain Tuivasa-Sheck managed one vote despite the Warriors’ dismal 30-10 loss to South Sydney, edging him up to 12 votes and equal-sixth position – just five points shy of new leader James Maloney.
Penrith playmaker and ex-Warrior Maloney nabbed two votes in Round 12 to leapfrog co-leaders Andrew Fifita and Kalyn Ponga, while a man-of-the-match showing from Luke Brooks saw him climb to equal-second.
As Dally M votes go behind closed doors, James Maloney takes the lead from Fifita, Ponga and Brooks. https://t.co/272cUYRWH5 #NRL pic.twitter.com/c1XXFy3wSz
— Sporting News Australia (@sportingnewsau) May 28, 2018
Meanwhile, Harris is the equal-highest-polling second-rower, holding a share of 12th with nine votes. The marquee recruit is tied with St George Illawarra forwards Jack De Belin and Tyson Frizell, and ex-Kiwis teammate Jason Taumalolo.
Benji Marshall is the only other New Zealander in the top 15, picking up two votes on Sunday to jump to 11.
The Warriors are not traditionally high achievers in the Dally Ms. Since Stacey Jones finished third in 2001 and sixth in 2002, Brent Webb (ninth in 2006) and Steve Price (equal-eighth in 2007) are the club’s only top-10 finishers.
Kevin Locke finished in a share of 11th with 18 votes in 2011 with Feleti Mateo one behind, while Tuivasa-Sheck was equal-12th last year on 17 votes.
Sean Hoppe (Winger of the Year in 1995) and Price (Prop of the Year in 2007) are the only Warriors to win Dally M positional awards, but Tuivasa-Sheck, Harris, Issac Luke, David Fusitu’a and Ken Maumalo should be in the frame to add to that modest list at the end of the season.
Pencil RTS in as a leading contender for the Dally M Captain of the Year gong, which Price also claimed in 2007.
We're one-third of the way through the 2018 #NRL season and our brilliant skipper leads the race for the inaugural #ThisWarriorsLife @NZWarriors Player of the Year award. #WarriorNation https://t.co/gxfAyCSOG4
— This Warriors Life (@thiswarriorslyf) April 30, 2018
DALLY M LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 12
J. Maloney – 17 points (Penrith)
L. Brooks – 16 points (Wests)
A. Fifita – 16 points (Cronulla)
K. Ponga – 16 points (Newcastle)
G. Widdop – 14 points (St George-Illawarra)
J. Arrow – 12 points (Gold Coast)
R. Tuivasa-Sheck – 12 points (New Zealand)
D. Cook – 12 points (Souths)
M. Pearce – 11 points (Newcastle)
B. Marshall – 11 points (Wests)
A. Taylor – 11 points (Gold Coast)
J. De Belin – 9 points (St George-Illawarra)
T. Frizell – 9 points (St George-Illawarra)
J. Taumalolo – 9 points (North Queensland)
T. Harris – 9 Points (New Zealand)
Categories: Articles + Inteviews, WARRIORS NEWS
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